Delicious and healthy Kombucha is present in the kitchens of many housewives. The taste of the drink compares favorably with the unappealing appearance of the mushroom. The product improves digestion, helps get rid of insomnia and cures many diseases. If you brought a useful organism at home, you need to know everything - how to properly care for and use it.

  Where to begin?

Take a three-liter glass jar. Do not use metal container for mushroom cultivation. Further your actions are as follows:

• pour a warm tea brew into about 2/3 of the jar. Prepare tea in advance in a separate bowl. Brew, let it brew and strain. The strength of the brewed beverage corresponds to the tea you drink every day. Make the tea solution clean, the impurities injure the fungus;
• add sugar to the brew. Per liter of water, take 2-3 tbsp. sugar and mix thoroughly. Do not use sweetener;
• leave to cool to room temperature;
• carefully place the kombucha in the jar. Cover the jar on top with clean gauze, pre-folded in layers. Put in a secluded place.

The best temperature for breeding the fungus is 25 degrees. He does not like darkness, but do not put it under the sun. You will see that the surface of the infusion in the bank will be covered with a film that increases in size. In the finished product, the thickness of a durable-looking film is 1 mm, and from the can it smells like a delicate and pleasant aroma of vinegar. The drink is ready in about four days.

  Properly care for Kombucha

You need to take care of the product, otherwise it will die. If he sinks to the bottom of the can, something is wrong. Care is as follows:

• rinse the fungus itself under clean cool water. In the winter, rinse once a month, and in the summer - once a week. Do not direct a strong stream of water from the tap, the fungus will be damaged. Wash the bank too. Put the washed mushroom on a clean plate while you wash the dishes;
• change the nutritive sweet solution every week in the winter and 2 times a week in the summer. Otherwise, brown spots will appear on the mushroom. New portion of sweet solution is poured immediately after using the old one. To speed up the fermentation process, add a glass of the present product to the fresh composition;
• touch the mushroom with clean hands, spoons and remove all rings. Otherwise, infect the fungus, and the drink will spoil;
• use plastic or wooden spoons. The product does not like metal;
• protect infusion from dust and insects. Do not cover the jar with the lid, the mushroom needs to “breathe”. Cover the container with gauze and secure with a rubber band;
• strain through the cheesecloth. Drain it once a week and more often. After that add a new sweet tea solution. Do not pour out all liquid, leave about liter.

  Properly propagated kombucha

Do not tear pieces off the mushroom - it will die! Carefully remove its top film and transfer it carefully to a clean bowl with warm water. Do not put any water or sugar into the water - put the mushroom in the sweet solution when it gets stronger. It will happen in a day or a bit more. You will see that the film has risen to the surface of the pot and began to peel off - gently moving the mushroom into the tea sweet environment. Soon it will grow.

  Properly consume kombucha

Drink one hour after eating two to three times a day in the amount of 200-500 ml. Eat cool and strain before taking. People drink a sharp cool drink at any time. But it is better to drink it for the first time a day before eating in the morning. He will prepare the digestive tract for meals. After a month, stop for about three weeks so as not to irritate the stomach.

Beneficial organism has practically no contraindications. But for pregnant women, hypertensive patients, nursing mothers, diabetics and children under 12 years old, it is better to refrain from using it.

After straining the beverage, pour it into glass bottles and store in the refrigerator. Do not throw away excess mushroom - share it with friends and relatives. Use as a fertilizer in the garden. To do this, cut into pieces and bury in the ground.

Care for a useful living organism is simple. A little effort - and on your table every day will be a useful, invigorating drink. And if the above rules are observed, the mushroom will serve for a long time and will give the body a charge of vigor, health and good mood.

The mushroom has the appearance of a jellyfish that floats on the surface of the liquid. This is a huge colony of yeast and acetic acid bacteria, which are fastened together by cellulose cells. The scientific name of the colony is medusomitset.

The photo shows an image of its surface enlarged under a microscope. Balls are yeast. Sticks are bacteria. The rest of the binder is cellulose.

From above the colony looks smooth, flat. Bottom - loose and multi-layered, with hanging threads and forming new layers. It is located below the majority of active microorganisms that process sweet tea and form kvass.

Top microorganisms produces vinegar. The method of obtaining vinegar with medusomitsetov called "Orleans." It was used in the 19th century on an industrial scale.

For the initial formation of the colony does not need a donor organism. The fungus is formed as a result of long-term fermentation of brewed sweet tea (in the presence of acetic bacteria, several types of yeast microorganisms). The bacteria themselves enter the tea leaves from the air. However, more often Kombucha is transmitted to each other, dividing the medusoid colonies into layers.

The environment for the vital activity of yeast and bacteria is Indian tea, which appeared in Russia only in the 19th century. Therefore, kvass itself appeared in various Russian provinces at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. In 30-40 years he was on the wave of popularity. After the war - forgotten, and again returned to wide use in the 80s of the last century.

In the countries of the east, where tea was known for a long time, the medusomiceta were held in deserved respect. They were treated patients, maintained healthy tone.

What is this drink used for:

• China   - only noble rich families drank tea kvass. For commoners drink was not intended. He was given the following qualities: to maintain clarity of thought, tone, rejuvenate, as well as to adjust the digestion, clean the vessels.
• Japan   - tea kvass was popular with geishas, ​​who used it to be slim and remove stains and warts from the skin.
• India   - the drink was added to the bath for bathing babies with skin problems.
• Europe (England, France and Prussia)   - Kombucha learned in the 19th century and began to use it for the production of vinegar. To do this, medusomitset held in large wooden barrels, where he reached a huge size.

The benefits and harm of Kombucha

The medicinal properties of Kombucha are determined by the components formed during fermentation. What distinguishes a colony of microorganisms during vital activity?

Part of the dissolved sugar is fermented with yeast bacteria. Ethanol is formed, which other bacteria process into acetic acid. Another part of sucrose is processed into gluconic, oxalic, citric, and grape acid. Formed a number of enzymes (lipase, catalase, protease, amylase), some vitamins (C, B), caffeine is stored (gets from brewed tea).

The therapeutic benefits of Kombucha are determined by acids, vitamins and enzymes. The stimulating and tonic effect of caffeine.

What is useful kombucha person

• Disinfects and stops the reproduction of pathogens. Destroys dysentery stick, Staphylococcus aureus, pneumococcus, typhoid fever.
• Removes toxins, and thus, alleviates the condition in case of various poisonings - food, industrial, alcoholic, in case of toxicosis of pregnant women.
• It improves digestion, cleans the intestines, treats diseases of the gallbladder and liver.
• Forms the microflora of the digestive organs, restores the balance of microorganisms after chemotherapy, a course of antibiotics.
• It counteracts infections in case of various inflammations: dental (gingivitis and periodontitis), skin (acne, ulcers, a fungus on the skin or under the nails, dandruff), ENT inflammations. With this treatment, tea kvass is used externally - for rinsing and rubbing.
• Normalizes the state of blood vessels (dissolves sclerotic plaques and increases the elasticity of the vascular walls).
• Reduces blood pressure.

Useful properties of Kombucha more noticeable than others affect the work of digestion.   Tea brew removes swelling and colic, normalizes the movement of digestive juices (bile), removes stagnation. By suppressing the growth of pathogenic flora, it treats inflammation. Forming the normal intestinal flora, creates the conditions for the full absorption of food.

Kombucha Contraindications

When can a fermented drink be harmful?

• When perekisanii - if he had a strong sharp taste. There is too much vinegar in this drink. A small amount of acetic acid acts as an antiseptic, is used as an antidote. Too much vinegar burns the gastric mucosa, acidifies the blood, destroys red blood cells. In addition, acetic acid destroys the enamel. Therefore, it is better to drink acidic drinks through a straw.
• When aging - dead layers supply toxic components. To avoid this, the medusoidal colony is washed with water once a week and the old dying-away layers are removed in a timely manner.
• During the reception of a number of drugs (antibiotics, paracetamol, analgin). Between drinking tea kvass and these medicines should take at least 2 hours.
• Diabetics - due to the high sugar content.
• People with high acidity, with a stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer - tea brew can be taken only in limited quantities.
• You can not take a fermented drink to motorists behind the wheel (kvass contains up to 2.5% alcohol, which is contraindicated for drivers in any doses).
• For the same reason, do not take tea kvass during pregnancy, breastfeeding.

How to use Kombucha for weight loss

The effect of losing weight due to the following factors:

• Tea brew stimulates the processes of purification, including the intestines. For many overweight people, the intestines resemble a clogged pipe. Biological active substances clean internal walls from fecal deposits and remove them to the outside. It looks like a loosening of the intestines and frequent urging to the toilet.
• Enzymes of tea kvass (lipase / protease) stimulate the breakdown of fats.
• The components of a tea drink reduce hunger.

How to use Kombucha for weight loss? Here are some popular recipes:

• Infuse medusomitset on green tea.
• Insist on herbal decoction (nettle leaves, raspberries and currants, buckthorn bark, dandelion roots, fennel fruits, parsley and cumin seeds, mint leaves, corn silk).
• Insist medusomitset on compote.

Drink ready-made kvass for ½ or 1 glass (200 ml) half an hour before meals (3-4 times a day). You can also drink it in the morning immediately after bedtime to stimulate intestinal cleansing.

Can I use Kombucha during pregnancy

Is kombucha useful in pregnancy? The ethanol content (2.5%) is controversial about the benefits of tea drink. The greatest amount of alcohol drink contains fermentation at the beginning (up to 2.5%). In addition, tea supplies caffeine, which is also not healthy.

Alcohol and caffeine are active substances. Even in small concentrations, they are able to cross the placenta. Therefore, despite the low content of these substances, use kombucha during pregnancy is not recommended.

In the 19th century, carbonated drink was produced on an industrial scale. In the 21st century - they drink and breed at home. Cooking kombucha at home is easy.

For growing medusomitseta use glass jars with a volume of from 1 to 5 liters (depending on the size of medusomitseta). If the colony thickness is more than 1.5 cm - take a jar of at least 3 liters. To speed up the fermentation - leave ¼ of the ready drink.

Tea is brewed, cooled and filtered. Proportions for brewing: for 3 liters of water - 6-8 tablespoons of sugar and 2-3 tea bags.

When using packaged brewing tea can not filter. If you brew tea without bags, then after 20 minutes you need to filter the brewed liquid. Sugar can be added immediately.

The filtered sweet tea is poured into a glass container and a medusiform mushroom is placed in it. The neck of the banks covered with gauze and put for fermentation in a dark place. Direct rays of the sun should not fall on the surface of the glass container. As fermentation bubbles appear. Determine the readiness of the drink can be on the bubbles and light sour smell.

Kvass fermentation takes 2-4 days in summer and 5-7 days in winter.

How to care for Kombucha

Proper care for Kombucha at home determines the quality of the drink. After all, it is a living organism, and in response to care, it gives a tasty and healthy drink.

What is contraindicated with proper care:

• Closed tightly bank or other capacity. Bacteria and yeast microorganisms need to breathe. Without oxygen, they die.
• Hot water. Bacteria and yeast are dying in boiling water and just hot water (like other living organisms, protein structures). Therefore, before adding the fungus to tea, it is cooled to room temperature.
• Sugar - a colony of microorganisms feeds on sugar dissolved in water. If you pour sugar directly on the surface of the fungus, burns (holes, dimples) will appear.
• The sun's rays - heat the fluid in which the fungus floats, and this leads to the partial death of its colony. Therefore, you can not keep it on the sunny windowsill.
• Metal containers without enamel, ceramic surfaces. The mushroom should be stored only in a container of inert material (glass jars).
• Smoke cigarettes. In areas where people often smoke, medusomitset is covered with mold.

A mushroom or colony of microorganisms must be stored in a glass container, under a gauze bandage, in a darkened corner of the kitchen. The colony health indicator is the position of the “jellyfish” on the surface of the liquid. If medusomitset does not emerge for a long time, it is necessary to examine it and remove the dead layers.

Like any living creature, a medusoidal colony needs periodic washing. Mushroom rinse 1 time in 7-10 days in clean cool water. To do this, medusomitset get out of the tank with tea, put in an enamel bowl (bowl, pan), which is poured several times and poured water. After that, the fungus is examined for old yellow layers (if they are, they are removed). The washed mushroom is put back in a jar of brewed sweet tea.

Where to get or how to make Kombucha

Where to get kombucha? And is it possible to grow it at home without a donor colony? It turns out, yes. If there is no person in the circle of your acquaintances who could offer you a mushroom, grow it yourself on the basis of ordinary brewing and sugar. How to grow kombucha at home?

• To grow a colony, conventional leaf tea leaves without aromatic additives are required.
• We prepare a glass container (jar) - with my soda or mustard (you cannot wash it with synthetic degreasers, they leave a mark on the surface and do not allow microorganisms to gather in colonies).
• For half a liter of boiling water take 5 tablespoons of tea leaves and 7 tablespoons of sugar. Brew, cool and filter. Pour into a glass jar. Cover with gauze.
• After 7-10 days, the smell of vinegar. After it passes, a thin film of mucus is formed on the surface. This is the germ of the future fungus. The time required for the formation of the primary colony is 1.5-2 months.

For the cultivation of tea fungus, you can also use green tea, broth hips, sweet compote.

Grow kombucha at home is available to everyone. Cultivation technology is simple and affordable even for a child. The finished colony is a thin film of live bacteria that will eventually grow into a big mushroom and bring you health. So that he brings you only benefits, you can not use the old sour drink.

Tea is very important for the life of the tea fungus: it practically does not consume the components of the infusion (tannic, aromatic and other substances), but at the same time it is very sensitive to its absence. So, without tea, he is not able to synthesize ascorbic acid, which is so necessary for his full life.

Kombucha or meduzomitset when creating favorable conditions on the 4-10th day of growth begins to produce a drink that looks like a strong and highly carbonated kvass. Gas bubbles and acetic acid are formed due to the activity of acetic acid bacteria and yeast, and the specific flavor gives tea infusion to tea, as well as some types of yeast.

If you do not have any opportunity to get Kombucha, you can make from ordinary rye bread, with the addition of sugar and yeast.

How to grow kombucha

Growing medusomitsyena - the procedure is simple, but in order for him to please you with a healthy and tasty drink for a long time, you should consider some of the nuances. Medusomitset has a layered structure and multiplies only by separating one layer from another. It is strictly impossible to cut the body of the fungus into two halves or cut pieces from it.
He is very susceptible to mechanical damage, thus it can be damaged and he will be sick. To begin with, it is necessary to separate a single laminated film and, placing it in a glass container, carefully pour warm water over it (always use only boiled water.). Place the separated film in another container and, also filling it with warm water, leave it at room temperature.

Cultivation of the fungus is carried out only by separating one of the layers from the mother fungus, and this must be done with extreme caution.

Top dressing mushroom

Medusomitset eats weak sweetish tea solution, which must be prepared as follows. In 1% solution of tea you need to add sugar in the ratio of 1:10. Kombucha should be placed in this solution. It should be noted that the solution should not be too strong - it will slow down the growth process.

Drink from medusomitsen rarely consumed in its original form. In order to reduce the concentration, it must be diluted with boiled water in a ratio of 1: 2. Ultimately, the drink should have a light sour taste.

Feeding and changing the solution should be done systematically - about once every 2-3 days. In the cold season, you can reduce the number of fertilizing and change the solution every 5-6 days. If you want the drink to be less concentrated, the mushroom can be fed daily.

About once every 2-3 weeks, the fungus should be washed with boiled water at room temperature. This should be done very carefully so as not to damage the structure. After rinsing, it must be put back into the container, filling with the usual tea solution. Weak sweetish tea solution - an ideal nutrient medium for Kombucha. With proper preparation of the solution, you get a tasty and healthy drink.

Rules for making a drink

What can insist kombucha

It turns out that kvass can be obtained not only on the basis of black tea tincture. There are several options for making a tasty tonic. So, Kombucha, care for which is not subject to change, often insist on green tea, which contains a large amount of vitamins and caffeine.

Medusomitset can also try to insist on tea with the addition of various medicinal herbs: oregano, chamomile, lemon balm, mint, bergamot, etc. Just do not throw the grass directly into the mushroom - from such a neighborhood it will quickly die, first you need to make an infusion.

Healing herbs will not only add a number of useful properties to the drink, but will also give it a unique taste and aroma. Before use, you can add a teaspoon of honey to ready-made tea kvass, which will enrich it with a large number of mineral substances, enhance anti-bacterial and tonic properties.

The stronger the infusion of tea or herbs, the greater the amount of vitamins and nutrients will be contained in the finished drink. The most optimal is the following proportion: 2 teaspoons of tea leaves or herbs and 100 grams. sugar to get 1 liter of drink.

Tea mushroom. How to take care of all the rules

• Medusomitset can only live in glassware that will fit it in size. As a rule, the usual 3-flit bank is used. But the dishes made of metal (except stainless steel) cannot be used to make kvass, since the acids produced by the fungus react with metals.
• The jar of mushroom should be kept in a shaded place, with good ventilation and no odor. Direct sunlight and low air temperature inhibit the development of medusomitceta, and therefore it is not recommended to keep it on the windowsill.
• The optimum temperature for the full development of the fungus is 25 degrees Celsius. At lower rates, its activity is markedly reduced, and blue-green algae can even start in it.
• When preparing a drink, the jar must be closed, but not with a lid, but with clean gauze or a napkin so that the kombucha can breathe, and insects that are not indifferent to it could not reach it.
• Water for kvass must be boiled, with tea tea leaves and sugar already dissolved in it. Raw water contains a large amount of calcium salts that react with gluconic acid, resulting in the formation of calcium gluconate as a precipitate.
• If sugar is poured directly onto the Kombucha or placed in a solution in which the sugar has not completely dissolved, this will cause burns on the surface in the form of brown spots.
• For the same reason, it is impossible to allow even small leaves or granules of tea leaves to remain in the tea solution. Otherwise, wounds may appear on the tender surface of the medusomicete.
• Periodically, there is a need to wash Kombucha in clean water. How to care for him so as not to harm the living organism? You need to gently get it out of the jar and carefully clean it under water (it is possible from the tap, but it is best to use pure or spring water). In winter, this procedure is carried out every 3-4 weeks, and with the onset of summer it should be done more often - once every 1-2 weeks.
• If you notice that the upper part of the fungus begins to turn brown, then this is the first sign of the beginning of its death. To preserve medusomitsuetu life, you need to thoroughly wash it, separate and throw out the top layer, trying to take care of your pet more carefully in the future.
• In summer, Kombucha is more active than in winter, and therefore the solution will have to be changed much more often.

If the infusion of tea fungus is poured into a free container and left at room temperature, then after 1-2 weeks a thin translucent layer forms on its surface. This is a colony of living organisms, which over time will grow into a full-fledged adult fungus.
If you notice that the mushroom has become too big, thick, multi-layered, and the drink becomes sour too quickly, you should separate a part from it and give your friends or relatives a piece of kombucha. Care and preparation of kvass from this part of the medusomitset is no different from the whole mushroom.

Preparation of vinegar using Kombucha

Medusomitset can be used not only to prepare a drink. With the help of Kombucha you can make vinegar, which in taste and practical properties will not yield to ordinary table vinegar.

To do this, brew should be kept for a month, after which it should be drained and boiled for an hour. Tea vinegar is ready. This vinegar is not suitable for preservation, but will be an excellent alternative to regular vinegar in the preparation of fish, meat and other dishes.

Tea vinegar is much softer than other types of vinegar, it gives the dishes an original, special taste.

Souring Milk with Mushroom

Fermentation of milk with the help of Kombucha is performed as follows: for one liter of milk it is necessary to take 3-4 tablespoons of the concentrated infusion of Kombucha (which takes at least 4 days and up to 10 days).

The duration of ripening depends on the air temperature (fermentation occurs much faster in a warm place,) on average from 12 hours to 5-6 days. It is necessary to wait for a dense clot with a fermented milk smell and taste.

The next time, instead of the starter, use a portion of the already-fermented milk. In this case, the process will already go faster, and depending on the temperature it will last - from 6 hours to 3-4 days. In the process of preparing a fermented milk product based on Kombucha, in 24 hours the bacteria of the group of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus are completely destroyed.

At elevated temperatures - more than 35 degrees - the process of ripening is carried out much faster. The result is a fermented milk product that has a dense texture and a pleasant sweetish taste.

Kombucha is very useful. With proper, skillful care, he will give you the opportunity to get not only a delicious, healthy drink, but also other useful products.

About the healing properties of Kombucha, or as it is also called medusomitseta, the Europeans learned a little less than a century ago. Since then, it has spread almost throughout the continent. Today it is very popular with us, and not without reason. But the fact is that this mushroom has a unique miraculous power that allows using the product for the prevention and treatment of many diseases. But in order for it to really benefit, it is important to know how to care for the kombucha in the can. In this article we will talk just about it.

Depending on the conditions in which the medusomitset is located, not only its taste qualities will change, but also its useful characteristics, as well as its chemical composition. In order for medusomitset to develop properly, one should adhere to the following conditions:

• Medusomitset can live well and develop in a spacious glass container, for example, in a three-liter jar. But it can be another dish, the main thing - that it fits the size.
• The tank that contains the mushroom should not be in a bright place. Direct sunlight slows the growth of mass, so it is not recommended to put the container on the windowsill.
• The required temperature for the development is in the range of 23-27 degrees. If the temperature drops, the development of the fungus may slow down. This can lead to the appearance of algae and its death.
• Once the medusomitset is ready, do not tightly close the container with a lid. In this case, there is a shortage of oxygen, which is necessary for respiration of the fungus.

Important! To avoid this, you can fold a clean gauze 3-4 times and put it on top of the container.

• It is undesirable to pour Kombucha with raw water, since it is saturated with calcium. For these purposes, use boiled water.
• Before pouring water, dissolve tea tea leaves and sugar in it. Do not pour the tea on top of the mushroom or put the mass in the water, in which there is insoluble sugar. After such actions medusomitset can get burned and become covered with brown spots.

Important! The same applies to tea brewing - granules or petals from brewed tea must be completely removed.

• To ensure the normal development of medusomitseta, it is necessary to periodically wash Kombucha with clean water. You can use tap water, but it's better to do it with boiled or spring water.
• Care must be taken to ensure that the kombucha does not die. This can happen because of a long stay in one solution. A sign may be a change of color on the upper part - it becomes a dark brown hue. In this case, remove the fungus from the tank, rinse with clean water, remove and discard the upper part.
• If you left somewhere for a long time or simply forgot about your “pet” and he was left without liquid, then he can be reanimated. To do this, fill it with tea solution or sweet water - the medusomitseta has the ability to be stored in a dry form.

What and how to pour it into it?

As you use a drink from medusomitseta, there is a need to fill the habitat in which he lives. Therefore, in order for it to be healthy, its proper feeding should be a regular procedure. Care for kombucha in the bank should be as follows:

1. Prepare a tea solution, diluted with sugar. In a boiled one percent tea solution, dilute the sugar in a ratio of one to ten.
2. In this prepared solution, you can put the fungus itself or pour the liquid to the one in which it is already located.

Important! Make sure that the prepared solution is not too saturated or strong. This may result in slower growth. Concentration can be reduced by adding boiled, cooled water.

Feeding or changing the solution should be carried out regularly, about once every 3-4 days. When the temperature in the room decreases, this procedure is reduced to once a week. However, in order to make the drink more saturated, you can feed it more often.

How to wash?

Medusomitsuetu need constant care and attention. It is not enough just to put it inside the container, pour out the healing drink and sometimes pour liquid there. So how do you care for a mushroom in a can? To prevent the fungus from dying, it should be washed periodically:

• As a rule, it washes with running, cool and clean water. Moreover, it is necessary to wash it with extreme caution, because if the pressure is too strong, then the structure of the fungus can be damaged. At the end of the “bathing,” the mushroom is returned to its familiar environment and poured over with a sweet solution of tea.

Important! During the wash, the mass should be kept very gently - any mechanical “injuries” can lead to a violation of integrity, and the medusomicete will die.

• In summer, at a higher temperature in the room, the fungus is somewhat more active than in winter. Therefore, it is necessary to wash the kombucha and change the solution more often.

Important! The washing process is preferably carried out once every 3-4 weeks during the cold season and at least once every 2 weeks in the summer.

• Apart from the fact that Kombucha needs regular maintenance, it is also necessary to thoroughly clean its “house” - the container inside which it is located. It should be thoroughly washed, removing all mucus, possible algae or other substances. Only after that the jar is filled with another tea solution and a new product is prepared.

How to share?

Reproduction medusomitseta occurs very simply. For this:

1. Separate the top.
2. Move it inside a clean container with lukewarm water.
3. Leave a new mushroom in a dark place for a day.
4. As soon as the film begins to rise and flake, move the young mushroom to the sweet tea solution.
5. After 2-3 days, it should increase noticeably in size, and the drink can be consumed.

Important! The life span of a tea fungus, when it can produce a quality drink, is a couple of months.

Beginner's mistakes

Drink from medusomitseta not only delicious, but also incredibly useful. However, all the medicinal and taste properties of the drink remain, if properly care for the mushroom in a can. Some novice “mushroom pickers” sometimes make mistakes that prevent the fungus from producing a drink:

• Placing a very young Kombucha in the jar, you should not expect an instant result. He must have a period of growth and maturation. Be patient and give him the opportunity to grow.
• You can not tear off the lower layers of medusomitseta - it is here that produced elements that make a delicious drink.
• Ensure that the medusomicete floats exclusively horizontally, with the smooth side up. Otherwise - there will be no drink.
• You must regularly refresh the fluid in the fungus after drinking a drink. If the fluid does not refresh, the acidity in the solution will increase.

Important! If you do not want to drink a drink, then simply pour out a part and pour in a fresh solution.

It is difficult to find a Soviet family of the mid-twentieth century, in whose kitchen would not stand a can of tea, in which a medusoobrazny substance swam. She was carefully fed, topping up strong tea, they talked with her, and many believed that this kitchen inhabitant fulfilled her cherished desires. Few people know that scientifically "jellyfish" is called "jellyfish", but the more familiar name is fixed in the people - Kombucha. Why is it so fond of us medusomitset? How to care for Kombucha and use it?

What is useful Kombucha for the body?

Where did you first start using Kombucha? It is not precisely established, however, it is still mentioned in the records of the ancient Chinese Han dynasty (250 BC). But some researchers believe that the fungus was actively used by the ancient Greeks. In Russia, it appeared in the XIX century.

Medusomitsette mushroom looks like a little, at least in the "classical" sense. He has no hats and legs, he can not marinate or fry. Slippery and densely on top of the body of the fungus from the inside is covered with hanging threads. Threads are colonies of live acetic acid bacteria, and the upper mushroom part is formed by the same bacteria and yeast. The composition of the fungus may vary depending on the predominant strain of microorganisms. The mushroom itself does not go into food, the liquid has value in which it is contained and which it processes into a special drink called mushroom (tea) kvass.

How is brew? Sweet tea is a nutrient medium for the colony of microorganisms that form the fungus. Eating sugar, yeast contributes to its fermentation, secreting acid and alcohol. Alcohol is oxidized by bacteria to acetic acid. It turns out a little fizzy sweet-sour drink. The main components of the infusion are acids - gluconic and kojic, lactic, acetic, malic, citric and carbonic, as well as caffeine, sugars, ethanol and useful enzymes. The combined effect of these substances contributes to the regulation of the gastrointestinal tract, improving immunity, the prevention of certain diseases.

How to grow Kombucha at home from scratch - a recipe for cooking

Where to take Kombucha? Basically - from the "good hands". It is growing rapidly, and the owners give it to those who want it. However, if you take the "mushroom baby" is not from anyone, you can independently get medusomitsetseom. It is enough to know how to grow kombucha from scratch, and soon a real micro plant for the production of tea kvass will appear in your kitchen.

The ideal “living space” for the mushroom is a glass jar. Bearing in mind that medusomitset grows quickly, it is better to take a three-liter capacity. The bank should be sterilized.

To create a nutrient medium, you need only three components:

• water (better-spring);
• plain sugar;
• tea brewing (black).

From these products you need to make tea. At first it takes a little - about a liter. The brew is made a little stronger than regular tea, but sugar cannot be regretted - 100 grams of sand is taken per liter of liquid. Pour tea into the jar, and bandage its neck with gauze. We remove the container in a dark place, where the temperature does not exceed the range of the room. After a few days, a thin film will appear on the surface of the tea: it is a mushroom. In a few weeks, a full-fledged kombucha will grow from the film. To feed it you must regularly add freshly brewed tea to the jar: strong and sweet (3 spoons of brewing and half a cup of sugar per liter of water).

How to care for Kombucha so that it does not darken

Like any home "pet", medusomitset needs care and respect. It is worth noting that the care of Kombucha at home is simple.

It is enough to remember a few rules:

1. To fill up the mushroom with tea, it is only important that it is cooled, otherwise the surface of the fungus will get burned.
2. A jar of mushroom must be covered with gauze - this will save it from clogging. It is impossible to use a cover - the mushroom will choke.
3. In the bank, the liquid should occupy 2/3 of the volume.
4. The mushroom needs regular flushing. Obvious signs that the fungus is dying - his lowering to the bottom, darkening, the appearance of holes in the body. For washing suitable boiled cooled water.
5. After washing, the fungus is dipped in a fresh brew! The can is washed before.

If it became noticeable that the mushroom peeled off and started up the “baby”, it is recommended to use the “youngsters” for the further preparation of kvass. Why is it worth doing? The drink will be more useful from the young fungus, as the old gives off too much acetic acid.

How and why to use Kombucha:

The beneficial properties of medusomitseta allow its infusion to be used as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent for a number of diseases.

Kombucha in the normalization of the digestive tract

Acids in tea kvass can regulate the activity of the gastrointestinal tract. To do this, take half a glass of drink for half an hour before meals for at least a week. At the same time, digestion is improving, problems with the stool disappear, they stop pestering abdominal distention and gas formation. This regimen allows you to very quickly forget colitis, pain in the lumbar region due to the kidneys, and in the right hypochondrium due to the liver.

Do not forget! Kombucha is not a panacea for problems with the gastrointestinal tract, and in some cases it may even be contraindicated. Consult with a specialist before applying tea kvass!

Help with colds

Tea kvass is considered a good way to increase the body's defenses, and in order to strengthen the immune system, it is indicated for both adults and children, especially in the autumn-winter time, when viruses and bacteria literally attack. A couple of glasses of a pleasant drink per day make the body more enduring.

If the cold still got, you can use the weekly infusion of the fungus - it produces natural antibiotic substances. And with angina and to relieve inflammation, it is recommended to gargle with kvass every 2-3 hours.

Kombucha treatment of hypertension and atherosclerosis

If Kombucha lives in the house, on its basis it is possible to prepare a unique drink against hypertension.

High blood pressure gradually returns to normal if you prepare the following medication:

• on a tablespoon of dried rhizome of Eleutherococcus prickly and Leuzea safflower-shaped mix with a teaspoon of Hypericum and the same volume of grass as a bird highlander;
• fill raw liter of boiling water, then it in a water bath 1/4 hour, and cool the broth;
• filtered broth mixed with tea kvass 1: 1, leave in the refrigerator for three days.

It is necessary to use the medicine three times a day, 50 milliliters before meals.

With such a disease as atherosclerosis, the drink is used according to the scheme:

1. week one: half a glass at bedtime;
2. 2-3 weeks: for the night - a glass of kvass, the next morning on an empty stomach - half a glass;
3. a break in treatment - a month;
4. course repetition.

Treatment of anemia

Kombucha drink is useful for anemia. Anemia or anemia occurs due to iron deficiency in the body.

The treatment is carried out as follows:

• morning start with a portion of grated raw carrots (100 grams), seasoned with olive oil;
• 45-60 minutes before lunch drink a glass of tea kvass;
• after an hour after dinner drink juice from vegetables: carrot, cucumber, beet (proportions 3: 1: 1, respectively);
• in the evening an hour before bedtime - a glass of mushroom drink.

Can I lose weight by using Kombucha?

If you want to throw a couple of extra pounds in a short time, you can include in the diet tea kvass. The result is not long in coming without strict dietary restrictions. Of course, sweets and flour products should be excluded. Enzymes that make up the drink, activate the metabolic mechanisms in the body, contribute to the breakdown of fats. For weight loss, you need to drink a glass of kvass in the morning, and only after that have breakfast. Taking a drink between meals, you can significantly reduce the feeling of hunger, which will lead to a decrease in the portion eaten and a rapid saturation.

How to cure nail fungus?

Treat fungus fungus? Traditional medicine says: it is effective! To get rid of mycosis, it is necessary to hold such compresses for several days in a row: attach a piece of Kombucha to the affected nail and fix with a bandage. Make it more comfortable at night. In the morning, remove the bandage, wash the nail, remove the horny particles. This method of dealing with mycosis has a positive effect with regular use.

Treatment of skin damage, cellulite

Mushroom in the kitchen can be an effective remedy for minor skin damage. To cut or wound is not inflamed, you can use kvass Kombucha instead of hydrogen peroxide.

It is known the use of tea kvass and as an anti-cellulite agent. Its action is similar to apple cider vinegar. Infusion of the fungus is kept for 1.5 weeks. Then grind a large lemon with a meat grinder and 2 leaves of a golden mustache plant. A glass of kvass is heated and poured liquid citric-leaved gruel. In an hour, the mixture can be used: a compress from the mixture is applied to the problem area of ​​the skin steamed in a bath or a hot bath, wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and, for a thermal effect, with a towel. Wrap leave for an hour and a half.

Who should not eat Kombucha: harm and contraindications

Despite its usefulness, medusomitset may have contraindications for use. Who can not drink a drink based on it?

First of all:

• persons with increased acidity of the stomach;
• those who have diabetes;
• children up to 3 years due to allergy;
• pregnant women;
• with thrush in women.

Kombucha does not take up much space in the house, is quite unpretentious to the content, and in response to care will thank the whole family for health, longevity and beauty.